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A new clothes shop is bringing fashionable beach clothing to East
Lothian, reports Katy McAulay.
ime was. North Berwick was a quaint seaside town. home to friendly grannies. earayan enthusiasts and lidinburgh eonrrnuter weekend cottages. A ttlssle w itlr the local gannet population o\ er your last chip was likely to be as esciting as it got.
Yet a rise in the popularity of
sports such as body boarding and surfing. plus the injection of a few quality attractions such as the fantastic Seottish Seabird Centre. llizs protetl to he the lure for some enlt 'pienetns to make a break for new shores.
llrirty liye year old (itll'tltlll l‘ortest is one of the lidinburgh resiilcnls wlro has set tip shop in the town. llte windsurfing. mountain hiking and
snowboarding former manager of
\‘y'lrite Stuff opened his first clotlrir outlet. (ireat liscape. on North llerwick's high street in .\la_\ and is hoping to provide local outdoor enthusiasts with a range of clothing more. ahem. youthful than the wares proyided it) Illc‘ llkL'\ tll \Vilk‘ies.
‘I didn't want to stay in l'tlinhurgh because there are
plenty of people doing this sort of
sltlll there already and I wanted to he nearer the waves] says (Jordon. 'Notth lierwick didn't have a
clothing shop that did this sort of
stint at the time. so it seemed like
it would work. plus all of the people in liast l.othian that I'd been speaking to said that they‘d rather not have to travel into lidinburgh to get fashionable outdoor clothing.‘
The kind of stuff we‘re talking about here‘.’ Think labels such as Animal. Rip Curl. Jack Wills. Vans and. in a nod to (iordon's preyious employer. White Stuff. Sunglasses get a look in. as does a limited range of flip-flops. there’s an ample collection of swimwear. plus trainers by Vans and the usual trouser. jacket. 'l'—shirt and short collections that could he just the ticket if you turn up for a day trip to find that the weather is better (or worse) than expected. Prices start at around £999 for a kid's T and extend to £40 or so for women's tops while for around £50 you could be taking the hop. skip and jutnp to the beach in a new pair of Vans.
Despite the outlet's proximity to the beach (accessed across the road by a couple of steps). Gordon says that any plans to extend into hardware will have to be put on the backburner fora while. ‘I didn‘t want a surfy name because I don’t want to be typecast as a strrf shop. There are too many
"extreme sports" shops out there already anyway. I know that the clothes are a good start and it‘s my first business so I just wanted to get used to the business processes. A year down the line. if things are going OK here. then surfboards. windsurfing gear and canoeing equipment tnight be my next step. lispecially in the etwironment here with the sailing school and the beaches ~ I could have people nipping across the road to the beach to try something out. But. you know. one thing at a time.’
Great Escape, 57 High St, North Berwick, 01620 893793
Top must haves for a day trip to North Berwick
does a range called Enormous Deep Pile Beach Blankets that fit the bill perfectly and cost £39.90 each. Soft, strong and very, very long, these tough-wearing blankets are very easy to care for and can be used indoors and out. Buy on/rne at www.ped/ars.co.trl<.
A great beach bag You’ll need something to carry your packed lunch and ice-cream money in. Ethical company Howies makes a range of bags that, with their noticeable arrow design, should remind drivers on the cramped High Street to steer clear. Prices start at 5345. But on/rne at
WWW. homes. CO. t/k.
Beach entertalnment The pleasant view and that bag of chips will only keep you amused for so long. The Konvertible Kite from Pedlars fits into a tiny pouch with a useful belt clip and yet transforms into a frameless kite that will keep the kiddies happy (and grounded) for at least an hour, weather permitting. Krtes cost £12.95 each. Click on www.pedlars.co.uk.
Sper rd, spe/ rd, spend
I Those looking for an original T—shirt could do a lot worse than rifle through the new virtual shelves of Edinburgh- based T—shirt company Oddhero. Designed by a group of young artists ranging from commercial illustrators to graffiti artists, T-shirts featuring such designs as the military—minded ‘boys love tanks‘ can now be bought online. Plus, as there is only a limited edition of each shirt design printed,
98 THE LIST >.'. H“)
there’s less chance of you walking into a pub and seeing someone else wearing the same one. Tel: 0131 558 7578 or click on www.0ddhero.com.
I Getting sand caught in your bits is one of those beach-related traumas everyone has to put up with
but according to Lush, the very granules we fight to liberate from our swimwear can be great for exfoliating the skin. Inspired by the Brazilian beach beauties who rub themselves down with wet sand to get their circulation going and reduce cellulite. the company is recommending we invest in a bar of its Sandstone soap this summer. Each bar is double-sided: one smooth side has plenty of cleaning power. but flipping it over will reveal a sand topping that lets you exfoliate without
having to tip a bucket of sand down your trousers on the beachfront. Sandstone is available from all Lush outlets and costs £1.85 for 1009. www.lush.com.
I Those looking for an original idea for a hen party might want to check out the home shopping
events offered by Edinburgh-based fashion label L Vaa. Designed by Anna Murray, the label trades in tops, dresses and skirts, often with a gathering effect that gives a Grecian feel. As part of the service, L Vaa home parties are available and allow guests to try on items such as citrus puffed skirts (pictured) and floral-inspired tops or make use of the made to measure bespoke service. Call 0131 441 1122 or click on www.lvaaclothing.com.